From Pennsylvania, vintage quilt top measuring 73 inches by 86 inches. The blocks are called Practical Orchard, Number 1685a in Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns. Practical Orchard was Pattern 141 in Ladies Art Company Catalog which dates to 1895. The fabrics in the block seem to date to that time period as well: overdyed green with the double pink and a simple stripe shirting. There is also a red fabric, possible Turkey Red, with yellow stars that is late 1800s, earlier 1900s, but the pink borders and sashing are a later fabric in my opinion. The blocks were hand pieced, the rest machine pieced. Did you notice the one block with the misplaced pieces. Some believe this to be a Humility Block, from the Amish belief, that only God is perfect, so a mistake was purposefully added. This seems to be a romantic myth, as anyone who quilts can tell you, there are no perfect quilts. Quilt top is in very good condition.

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